Lester has been terrible and Arrieta has gone 2.1, 5, and 3 innings in his last 3 starts. Quintana has been pitching like an Ace, but after that it gets dicey for them. We're going to score plenty of runs on them. Can Max and Strasburg dominate their lineups in Games 1 and 2? If so, I think we go to Wrigley looking to sweep with Gio.

Lester has been terrible and Arrieta has gone 2.1, 5, and 3 innings in his last 3 starts. Quintana has been pitching like an Ace, but after that it gets dicey for them. We're going to score plenty of runs on them. Can Max and Strasburg dominate their lineups in Games 1 and 2? If so, I think we go to Wrigley looking to sweep with Gio.

We felt pretty much the same way in 2014, too. We beat Madbum and were bested by a bunch of scrubs in the other games. I'll take no solace in facing struggling pitchers until we beat them.

The Cubs (39-38) are in second place in the National League Central, while the Nats (46-31) lead the NL East by 8.5 games.

None of these realities kept Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts from gloating to the president about his club’s postseason chances against the Nats.

“How are they doing,” President Trump asked of the Nats.

“They’re looking pretty good,” said one off-camera voice, before Anthony Rizzo added, “If you want to come, it’s right down the street.”

“We’re going to run into these guys in the playoffs,” Ricketts told President Trump. “And you’ll come down and you’ll see them crumble.”

“Probably will,” President Trump said. “You probably will.”

It wasn’t entirely clear whether the president’s “probably will” reply was in response to the Cubs running into the Nats in the playoffs, or Ricketts’ claim that Washington will crumble, though it leads toward the former, which would be ideal.

Zimmerman seems to have that clueless look about him which matches the way he is swining the bat. Gio and Roark have been bad the last outings; Stras has a bad calf and the offense can't solve the Phillies.

I don't think a team can just decide to "turn it on" in post season. Not the most encouraging of runs going into October

Zimmerman seems to have that clueless look about him which matches the way he is swining the bat. Gio and Roark have been bad the last outings; Stras has a bad calf and the offense can't solve the Phillies.

I don't think a team can just decide to "turn it on" in post season. Not the most encouraging of runs going into October

Is there any actual evidence that teams playing well down the stretch do better in the post season?

I live in the midwest. They're everywhere. I'm even related to some of 'em.

I just spent a week in New England. There is no way that any area of the country can be more infested with fans of any team than New England is infested with Red Sox and Patriot fans. And I'm related (by marriage) to a bunch of them. (And I love them all!)

I just spent a week in New England. There is no way that any area of the country can be more infested with fans of any team than New England is infested with Red Sox and Patriot fans. And I'm related (by marriage) to a bunch of them. (And I love them all!)

Dude, Cubs fans came out of the woodwork like tribbles last year around here. At least where I'm at, it's not Pats/Red Sox levels because I'm an 8 hour drive from Chicago, but there's a ton of them now.

I bought my grandson a Clark Cubs bear when I went to Weihkey this year. He has shown little interest showing his good taste. The last couple days the dog has found it and has been busy trying to tear it apart. Seems a good omen to me.

I just spent a week in New England. There is no way that any area of the country can be more infested with fans of any team than New England is infested with Red Sox and Patriot fans. And I'm related (by marriage) to a bunch of them. (And I love them all!)

I grew up where the Yankee & Red Sox fans meet. It was just like living on Capitol Hill, only we were always fighting over baseball and not politics. But of course, those 2 teams have been around for over 100 years. It would be interesting if the DC area ever developed into such a rivalry with the Orioles.

I just spent a week in New England. There is no way that any area of the country can be more infested with fans of any team than New England is infested with Red Sox and Patriot fans. And I'm related (by marriage) to a bunch of them. (And I love them all!)